Plier vise



June 23, 1953 v J, ELSBERG n 2,642,766

PLIER VISE Filed Feb. 16, 1952 jy W By 2g/fw VWM/U Patented June 23, 1953 PLIER VISE John Elsberg, New York, N. Y.y Application February 16,1952, Serial No1/71,880

5 claims. (o1. 81-18) The present invention relates to means for increasing the mechanical grip of a pair of pliers upon objects held between the jaws thereof, and particularly to what I choose to term a plier vise.

It frequently occurs that a machinist, welder,

mechanic, precision worker, precision jeweler, or

radio and television mechanic desires to hold two or more pieces of metal together preparatory t0 brazing or welding them into a single unit, but finds 'that' his two hands do not suflice to hold the work and also apply the ame to the parts with flux and bracing or welding metal. Instead, he finds that he cannot manage pliers Y or pinchers for holding the parts, as this requires applying pressure to these tools, while all he can do is to handle the same with the gripped pieces as a unit and pay most of hiskattention to the name and application of the melting metal intended to join the parts. Many other like difficulties arise in the course of repair work, manufacturing, maintenance and similar activities, so that it is often noted that it is impossible tok apply static pressure to pliers and pinchers to a suiiicient degree and in simple 1 manner for `performing many necessary operations.

Upon considering this problem, it has occurred to me that it should be possible to have a special form of clamp or vise in which to retain o the handles of a pair of pinchers or pliers and apply a predetermined pressure to pliers and pinchers so that the objects gripped by the jaws thereof are securely held as indicated.

The main object of my invention is to provide manually operated means that may be applied to the handles of a pair of pliers for forcibly bringing the handles together with more force than can be directly applied thereto by the vbare hands.

Another object of the invention is to rprovide a special hand operated clamp for engaging .about the handles of the pliers and exerting anyV desired degree of pressure thereon at will.

A further object is to provide a closed clamp frame having an interior movable jaw co-operating with the interior ofone end of the closed frame to form the clamp, a manually operated screw extending into the frame from the opposite end of the latter, with the jaw connected thereto and operated thereby.

It is also an object to produce such a plier clamp or vise that is simple in form and as simple and easy to use, and which is unobtrusive while perfectly effective for its purpose.

2 A practical object is,A of course to have a plier vise of the character indicated that is reasonable in cost `and easy to manufacture to encourage wide distribution on the market.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear in further detail as the speciiication proceeds. y

In order to facilitate ready comprehension of my invention for a properappreciation of the salient features thereof, the invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, and in which:

Figure l is a front elevation of a plier vise made according to the invention and embodying the same in a practical form;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same plier vise as seen .from either side in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the plier vise as applied to a pair of pinchers;

Figure 4 is asimilar perspective view of the plier vise as applied to a pair of pliers;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse section taken on line 5-5 in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a vertical section of the plier vise as taken on line 6-"6 in Figure 1.

Throughout the views, the same reference numerals indicate the same or like parts.

A plier vise, generally indicated at 1, includes a vertically elongated frame of closed construction formedr of two strips B, 8 spaced apart and provided between their upper ends with an arcuate yoke 9 to which the strips are secured by aV pair of screws Ill, I0 in each strip. At the ylower ends, a bottom yoke II which is also arcuate or internally concave, is in addition specially reinforced for a reason that will be explained. This bottom yoke Il is similarly secured to the lower ends of strips 8, 8 by means of further vscrews, I2, I2 in each strip. Both strips have substantially straight vertical edges I3, I4, etc., and are of uniform width throughout their length. Upon its'concave side, bottom yoke Il is provided with a distinct bottom vise jaw I5 having a screw I6 securing it to the yoke ll, the head of the screw lying within a recess 2l provided in a concavity 22 in said vise jaw. This jaw is both transversely and laterally concave to conform to the external convexity of a pincher handle I'I or a plier handle I8. At both ends of this jaw are. provided projecting guide lugs I9, I9, 20, 20 extending externally of the side edges I3 and llll of strips 8,'8 to guide the jaw Ainto position during assembly and thereafter retain it in place against raccidental displacement. These lugs are spaced apart just a little more than the distance between the edges I3 and I4 of each strip so that the jaw is virtually a loose fit and therefore self-adjusting to the plier handle in actual use. The recess 2| in the concave portion or seat 22 of the mentioned lower jaw I5 -is also made slightly larger than the screw head of screw I6 so that the jaw is thus slightly movable in lateral and transverse directions for self-adjustment. The jaw is made wider than strips 8, 8 and as a result, theguide lugs project only externally of edges I3 and I4 but not in any other direction.

In the upper yoke is engaged a manually ad- J'ustable clamping screw 23 surmounted by a pair of nger wings 24 by which to turn this screw. Below upper yoke 9 through which the screw extends, it terminates in a retaining head 25 operatively engaged in a recess 26 in the concave portion 21 of an upper movable jaw 28 slidably mounted between the strips 8, 8 of the frame. This jaw also has a group of guide lugs 29, 29,

v30,V 30 extending externally of the side edges I3 and I4 of the frame strips 8,18 with suflicient play to allow self-adjustment of the upper jaw, the concave portion 21 of the same largely conforming to the external convexity of the pincher handle 3I or plier handle 32. lThe upper jaw 28 is movable vertically along the frame sides 8, 8 by rotating screw 23,- while the slight play between the guide lugs and the edges of the sides or strips 8,- 8 allow the -jaw to seat upon the plierl handle in adjustablemanner. In Figure 5 may be noted the manner in which the jaws fit with slight play between their guide lugs and the sides 8, 8.

As may be seen in Figure 3, for example, the pinchers generally indicated at'33 has a pair of pieces of metal 34 andr35held fast between its jaws 36 and 31, while avise 1 embodying the invention has its upper and lower jaws 28 and I5 engaging its handles 3l and I1. It is evident that when adjusting screw 23 is tightened by linger wingsY 24 sothat the vise jaws exert great pressure on the pincher handles, the pincher jaws 36 and 31 will-exert a tremendous static pressure' on parts 34 and 35; and the vise and pinchers will be so firmly locked into a unit that it may be handled as such without any attempt at manually holding the pincher tight upon the parts to be brazed or welded together.

Similar remarks apply to the device when applied to the pliers 38 of' Figure 4, wherein the metal parts 39 and 40 are gripped between jaws 4I and 42 of theser pliers, whileV the plier vise 1 has its upper and lower jaws engaging upon plier handles 32 and I 8. UponV due adjustment of the finger wings 24 for tightening clamping screw 23, the vise will grip the handles rmly and through plier jaws 4I and 42 will exert great pressure upon the metal parts 39 and 40 for the purpose desired.

While the elongated frame that forms the basis of the present device is described as built up of the two strips 8, 8 secured to the upper and lower yokes 9 and II by screws I0 and I2, it is, of course within the purview of the invention to make the frame unitary or cast or forge it into a single piece of metal, if desired. The plier vise may also be made in various sizes and in different proportions than as shown and described, according to the type of work that is to be performed.

Manifestly, variations -may be resorted to, and parts and features may be modified or used without others within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim:

1. A plier vise including an elongated closed frame having substantially parallel side members of uniform width, a yoke secured to the upper ends of the side members, an adjustable clamping screw extending through the yoke and between said side members, manual means upon the screw for manipulating it at will, a second yoke secured to the lower ends of the side members, a lower jaw mounted within the frame and between the side members and connected to the second yoke, an upper jaw slidably mounted between said side members and connected to the lower end of said clamping screw, the upper and lower jaws being transversely and laterally concave upon their inner mutually facing surfaces in order to conform to the externally convex shape of pliervand pincher handles, and two spaced apart guide lugs upon each end of the upper and lower jaws straddling the side members of the frame and fitting the same with -suicient play to allow free adjustment of the jaws upon the plier handles.

2. A plier vise according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower jaws have a greater width than have the yokes and side members of the frame, the guide lugs extending from the ends of the jaws, and having outer surfaces coplanar with front and rear surfaces of said jaws.

3. A plier vise according to claim 2, wherein the yokes are also internally concave and externally convex .to conform generally with the concave-convex form of the jaws.

4. A plier vise according to claim 2, wherein the yokes and the jaws are substantially U- shaped individually.

5. A plier vise according to claim 4, wherein the jaws are more deeply concave than the yokes.

. JOHN ELSBERG.

References'Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES vPATENTS Number Name Date 90,307 Riley May 18, 1869 443,312 Bode Dec. 23, 1890 1,432,008 Zanon Oct. 17, 1922 1,621,805 Nasett Mar. 22, 1927 2,454,309 Davis Nov. 23, 1948 

